Benfica played a slightly more defensive of their usual shape. As is often the case in big games, playmaker Pablo Aimar was replaced with the more disciplined Carlos Martins. Ramires played a deeper role than usual, with Angel di Maria getting forward on the left, making a cross between a 4-1-3-2 and a 4-3-3, with Saviola dropping off, generally to the right.

Porto’s lopsided line-up made for an interesting gameplan. They attacked relentlessly down their right-hand side, putting Fabio Coentrao under significant pressure. For most of the game there was simply no Porto player on the left of their attack or midfield, which allowed Benfica right-back Maxi Pereira to get forward.

Benfica though, were struggling with the threat on their left-hand side, summed up by the fact that Coentrao, di Maria and Luiz were all cautioned within the first fifteen minutes. Although Porto struggled to create in open play, they won a free-kick on the touchline that was turned around the post by Quim, and they went ahead when a corner from that side was headed in by Bruno Alves.

Porto were stopping Benfica creating because they packed the centre of midfield with four men. Benfica’s system is generally quite narrow, with the wide players playing from in to out, and therefore stopping Benfica centrally is the key. Javi Garcia saw a lot of the ball but struggled to pass it as well as he usually does, whilst Martins, Ramires and di Maria drifted in and out of the game, and Benfica began to play a surprising amount of long balls towards Cardozo.

Of course, Benfica’s width usually comes from full-back. Coentrao was unable to get forward because he was preoccupied with the presence of Hulk, but on the other side, Maxi Pereira had literally no-one to worry him defensively, and so marauded forward at will throughout. With Porto’s four effectively matching Benfica’s four in the midfield, if a Porto midfielder was attracted to Pereira, he would leave a (more creative) player available in the centre, and so the Uruguayan was able to get forward unchallenged, and Benfica’s best opportunities came from Pereira getting into the penalty area. In the first half, the closest Benfica came to scoring was when he was one-on-one with the goalkeeper and denied by a last-ditch block, and in the second half he almost scored when he scampered forward unmarked, and blasted a near post shot at Beto.

And Pereira was to assist Benfica’s opening goal – his right-wing cross found its way to Luisao at the far post, who scuffed the ball into the far corner to make it 1-1.

With a total of ten bookings in the game, there was always going to be a sending-off – the only surprise was that with Benfica leading 7-3 in this respect, it was a Porto player who was dismissed. Right-back Jorge Fucile was cautioned for a dive in the penalty area, and Porto were down to ten. Porto’s players had been diving and overreacting theatrically to Benfica challenges all game (which was partly responsible for Benfica picking up seven cautions) and it was just deserts for the home side, who also had their manager Jesualdo Ferreira sent from the dugout.

This should have benefited Benfica, but Porto went ahead again through a snapshot from Farias. They made two substitutions and switched to a 4-3-1-1 shape, whilst Benfica made three attacking substitutions, taking off Javi Garcia, Martins and Saviola, and bringing on Aimar along with two forwards, Weldon and Alen Kardec. The game was frantic and had little to do with tactics as Benfica battled for the winner, but the introduction of three such attacking players seemed to benefit Porto, as Benfica couldn’t outnumber them in midfield. Jorge Jesus’ removal of Javi Garcia destabilized Benfica, and in the end the risks they took meant Porto scored a third – a cracker from Fernando Belluschi.

The use of Porto’s lopsided system was the most fascinating tactical aspect of the game, and it does seem to be inspired by Dunga’s Brazil side. Packing the midfield meant Benfica’s flair players had little space to create, and their frontmen saw little of the ball.

The title race, then, goes to the final day of the season, where Benfica need just a point to secure their first title in five years.

15 Responses to “ Porto 3-1 Benfica: Benfica’s champagne on ice ”

Marco on May 4, 2010 at 9:08 pm

The reason why Porto didn’t play in their usual 4-3-3 was because Hulk was the only winger available. Silvestre Varela and Mariano Gonzalez are sidelined for months and C.Rodriguez came back of a 1-month injury and lacked fitness, once he was injured almost throughout all season. Jesualdo Ferreira could have played Rodriguez to return to the usual system, but since the return of Hulk this backup 4-2-2 was been doing great and only recorded wins. The partnership of him with Falcao had been working out quite well, despite the fact that Farias is a bit different striker (scored the goal almost the only time he touched the ball during the match)
Honestly, I believe this match was ruined by the referee. He started the game showing too many yellow cards for no reason and if he had continued to use the same criterion the game would have probably finished with 7-8 men for each side. He also made many bad decisions in the penalty areas (Fucile’s sending off was just ridiculous).
However, I believe Benfica lost the game for not trying to win it. Jorge Jesus played Carlos Martins instead of P. Aimar and the team was really nervous and played too defensively once they only needed a draw to secure the title.
Once again, The referee Olegário Benquerença ruined the game by booking for no reason 3 Benfica players who were in risk of missing the next match. It came to the point that Jesus replace Saviola just because he was one of those players and it seemed inevitable he would be booked.
But we must give to the FC Porto players. Knowing they had been (unfairly) reduced to 10-men, they managed to go from a 1-1 draw to a 3-1 win against a team that, according to this blog plays probably the most attractive football in Europe.
I just don’t understand how can you talk about the theatrical display of Porto players, when Angel Di Maria was diving numerous times during the entire match never getting booked (unfortunately that’s what happens in Portugal). His single yellow card was (ridiculously) shown at 4′ for complaining at a referee decision…

Bruno Ribeiro on May 4, 2010 at 9:11 pm

I’ve got to confess myself disapointed with this article. Not your usual level. Just a points where I disagree with you (maybe I’m the one who is wrong).

First, Porto didn’t drop the 4-3-3 formation because of losing 5-0 against Arsenal. With Hulk suspended (wrongly it might be said) for part of the season, and with injuries to the other players that can play on the wings (Rodriguez, Varela and Mariano Gonzalez), Jesualdo Ferreira was forced to change the formation. You can’t play a 4-3-3 formation when you don’t even have enough players available to deploy.

Second, regarding the yellow cards, I’d like to see you explain with video how on Earth the ones showed to Benfica were mainly due to Porto players diving or overreacting. The only card that was wrongly showed was to Di Maria, who was booked alongside with Fucile, with both being booked for something that no one except the ref understood. Fucile payed the price by seing two undeserved yellow cards, because the second one was another piece of rubish from the ref because 1) he was fauled by Coentrão outside the area and fell as a consequence of that, and 2) he continued playing after he felt passing the ball to a unmarked player inside Benfica’s area. He didn’t dive and he didn’t made an appeal for a penalty. I suppose that Bellushi was also overreacting when he was punched in the face by Luisão who received only a yellow card? Go see the game again and show here one yellow card showed to Benfica players that wasn’t deserved (exception to the one showed to Luisão. It should have been red).

Third, Maxi Pereira was in fact the main threat from Benfica when the game was 11 vs 11. After Fucile being sent off, the main threat was Fábio Coentrão down the left.

Fourth, when Rodriguez replaced Farias, Porto mantained a 4-3-2 formation and not a 4-3-1-1 as you say. That is difficult to see in a televised transmition, but in the stadium it was obvious. Rodriguez played more over the left side of the attack with Hulk on the right. That was what allowed Porto to counter so effectively even with only 10 men.

Fifth, the most obvious advantage of Porto in this game was the fact that Bellushi played towards the right side and Guarín over the middle. The Colombian could muscle with Javi García, while Bellushi was free to create over the right side because a) Coentrão had to deal with Hulk, b) Di Maria doesn’t help deffending and c) when in possession, Guarin played to deep to be marked by Garcia, and so it was Carlos Martins who did that job; Garcia remained free, but as Porto didn’t try to play by the center he was useless.

It wasn’t the most entertaining game, and no tactical novelty will surface from it. I understand you couldn’t make a great post about this game, but honestly I expected more from your analysis. I suppose you’re the one to blame because you’ve raised the bar for yourself.

Re: one, it doesn’t say ‘because of’, it says ‘in the wake of’. Porto haven’t been featured on here since then, so it’s fair to give an update since the last time.

Don’t see your point on two. For a start, the article says ‘partly’. I don’t have the video to watch again, but the incident before half-time when Guarin rolled around on the floor slamming his hands on the turf – which I think resulted in a booking for Javi Garcia – was a prime example. I haven’t seen such an overreaction all season. But you substituting ‘partly’ for ‘mainly’ completely changes the meaning completely there.

3: Not sure that contradicts the article, does it?

4: Partly agree actually, I typed 4-3-2 then edited it. But one seemed to drop off and come towards the ball so I thought -1-1 summed it up better. But I do agree in hindsight.

5: Entirely fair, probably should have been mentioned. Although I didn’t think this was what really won the game for Porto. I thought they basically just stopped Benfica and took their opportunities well.

Rui on May 4, 2010 at 10:31 pm

Come on ZM, this time you gotta admit that you exagerated with that “theatrical overreaction”. Fucile’s case only shows one of the horrendous decisions the referee made.

It was certainly a distinctive part of the game, so I think it merited comment. Watch Guarin rolling around seemingly trying to reconnect two parts of the same leg, and tell me that’s not a theatrical overreaction.

Marco on May 5, 2010 at 7:50 pm

I think you’re right about Guarin but I believe that what my compatriots are trying to say is that there were more evident and serious referee calls that could have had more impact on the final result.

I believe Fucile’s send off is outrageous. It should have been penalty and a (second) yellow card for F.Coentrão. Then, the score could have been 2-0 and Benfica reduced to 10-men. Instead, Olegário Benquerença managed to somewhat turn the tables, making the exactly opposite happen, and Benfica drew minutes later.

I don’t agree when you mention this as a surprise win. FC Porto played as favourites I think and in Portugal the fact that you play at home plays a huge role (usually not for the best reasons I must admit). In my opinion, if it wasn´t for the referee the match could have ended in a major upset for Benfica like 4-0 or 5-0.

You make a good point when say Porto’s formation looks like Dunga’s system. It was more clear a few weeks ago when Jesualdo played Rúben Micael instead of Bellushi, but he was injured last Sunday. That way, Guarin was placed on the right, Meireles on the old #10 position and Micael on the left. I say this because he had more tendency to drift to the wing and go up than R.Meireles who is more of a defensive, passing midfielder. However, I believe Porto plays better the way they did on this occasion.

And honestly, don´t you think it’s very serious that a referee who is going to participate in the World Cup to consider Fucile´s move as a dive and don’t call any of the dives from Di Maria (he should think that the pitch was a pool…)

Rui on May 5, 2010 at 10:45 pm

fair point.

steve on May 4, 2010 at 9:41 pm

i think the left-back coentrao lacks spirit

Marco on May 5, 2010 at 8:03 pm

Believe it or not… he’s the best Portuguese left back… we’re screwed

steve on May 5, 2010 at 10:19 pm

if only nuno valente could go on forever.

is maniche still around? – that belluschi strike reminded me of his goal against holland

Marco on May 5, 2010 at 11:30 pm

No. Maniche is in some German club or something struggling to escape relegation

Rui on May 6, 2010 at 7:57 pm

Maniche is at 1. FC Köln, in Germany.

Marco on May 6, 2010 at 8:14 pm

Yeah. He and Petit

Phil on May 10, 2010 at 4:47 am

Lot of Portistas in this response. haha

Guarin’s antics were ridiculous. But to be honest, the game wasn’t an enjoyable one. You can discuss formations/tactics but I honestly think you can’t pinpoint this one. It was a combination of tactics, Portuguese Referees, the North/Lisbon rivarly, Porto fighting against the embarrassment of Benfica being crowned at the Dragao, and more.

Nonetheless, as you can probably already tell haha… Today was a great day for me.

Side notes: I trust Coentrao more than Duda. Where did Atunes go? Boa Morte’s experience at left back?

Marco on May 11, 2010 at 8:16 pm

I agree with you on F.Coentrão. He’s actually the best Portuguese left-back and was a great found by Jorge Jesus. He is much more reliable than Duda, however I’m almost sure he will be on the bench during the world cup once he lacks experience. Queiroz should have already called him to up to the frindly match against China